Process for extraction of copper from the matte



Patented Nov. 10, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALBERT H. HENDERSON, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

PROCESS FOR EXTRACTION OF COPPER FROM THE MATTE. i

No Drawing. Application filed May 9, 1921, Serial No. 467,937. Renewed April 21, 1925.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT H. HENDER- sox, citizen of the United States, residing at Baltimore and State ofMaryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Processes for' Extraction of Copper from the Matte, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to the treatment of matte for the extraction of metal, and it relates particularly to the treatment of copper matte for the extraction of copper therefrom. I

An object of my invention is to render the copper readily soluble in acids so that it may be easily removed from the matte.

Another object of my invention is toso treat the matte that the copper may be extracted therefrom in a form substantially free from impurities.

Another object of my invention is to increase the percentage of copper which may be recovered from the matte over the present percentage yield obtained by the methods commonly employed. i

A still further object of my invention is to accomplish the above outlined objects quickly and With a small cost.

lVith' these and other objects in View my invention consists in'the process to be hereinafter set forth and claimed, with the understanding that the chemical equivalents of the compounds employed may be used, without avoiding the spirit of the invention, and that the precise temperatures employed may be variedin accordance with the quantity or quality of material treated.

In former processes it has been necessary to subject the matte to a long series of steps which rendered these processes expensive and tedious. Where the process has been carried out in few steps, the tempera tures necessary to effect the desired change in the copper have been such that a portion of the copper has been volatilized and lost. 3

In my process the ore is crushed and treated in accordance with the ordinary method to form the substance commonly called copper matte. This copper matte is then crushed to form a powder. The powder is mixed with powdered alkali carbonate, an oxidizing agent and fluxing agents. These are mixed together and the whole is put into a receptacle and heated.

The heat is preferably applied at the botvarious silicates.

tom of the receptacle thus keeping the sur-' ploy cherry red heat and may allow the 1 flame or superheated gases to play on the surfaces of the mixture under treatment, but I have found it more economical and satisfactory to carry out my process at a reduced temperature.

One particular combination of substances that I have found produces especially good results is to employ sodium carbonate for the alkali carbonate, a mixture of alum and borax as fluxing agents and chloride of lime as the oxidizing agent. These. compounds are of low cost and readily obtainablein the open market. l A

As an example, in a low grade of copper matte containing approximately 46.50 per cent copper, 24.03 per cent sulphur, .077 per cent arsenic, .52 per cent silica, and 17 .03 per cent iron, I have employed successfully the following composition of ingredients:

WVith one hundred parts of ore I combine twenty-four parts of chloride of lime (essentially hypo-chlorite), twenty parts 1 of alum, ten parts of borax, and five partsof sodium carbonate. The results obtained from a heat treatment of this mixture give a very high yield of-copper.

The function of the alkali carbonate in the mixture is to remove the impurities having acid properties, such as silica and the The proportion of alkali carbonate employed depends largely on the percentage of these substances in the type of ore treated.

While I prefer to use as oxidizing agent chloride of lime other oxidizing agents may be employed, such as other hypo-chlorites of the alkalies or of the alkaline earths. However, because chloride of lime may be readily obtained at small cost I generally employ the same, i

- or my invention.

The proportion. of ingredientsnsed; depends on the characteristics ofthe matte treated. In certain kinds of matteI find that the proportion of fluxing agents to the.

other ingredients has to. be radically increased, and in other instances the proportional quantity of alkali carbonate or of oxidizing agents is varied.

After treating the matte at incipient red heat for a period of time which can be determined-only by experimentation for each particular grade of matte treated, I allow the mixture to cool and extract the copper therefrom With an acid in accordance with the usual method employed. As is customary I ordinarily employ sulphuric acid, but this partof the process comprises no part;

I have devised a method of treating copper matte to render the copper readily extractable which is' cheap, and gives a high yield of copper. Moreover, my process can be quickly carried out, thus effecting a large saving. of time, which has the effect of further decreasing theexpense of production.

.IIt is to be understood that the proportions of ingredients used may be varied Widely, depending on the type of ore treated, and that while I may have to employ relatively large quantities ofone ofthe ingredients in any particular treatment, in another treatment the quantity of that ingredient may be much less, though the amount of ore treated is the same in both cases. a a j While I have not described all the possible modifications of myinvention I desire that it be limited solely by the appended claims and; the scope. of the priorart. vI claim as my invention:

1. A method of treating copper matte to render the copper easily extractable com prising the step of subjecting the matte to the action of an alkali carbonate, fluxing agents and a hypo-:hl'orite of alkali, at a raised temperature. 1 2; 'A method of treating copper matte to render the copper easily extractable, comprising the step of subjecting the matte to the action of an alkali carbonate, fluxi-ng agents and a hypo-chlorite of the alkali earths, at a raised temperature.

3; A method of treating copper matte to render the copper easily extractable, comprisingthe step of subjecting the matte to the action of an alkali carbonate, fluxing a ents and a mixture of the hypo-chlorite of alkali and the alkali earths, temperature.

4'. A method of treating copper matte comprising the step of subjecting the matte at a raised to the action of an alkali carbonate, alum and a hypo-chlorite of alkali, at a raised temperature.

5. A method of treating copper matte to render the copper easily extractable, comprising the step of subjecting the matte to theaction of an alkali carbonate, borax and a hypo-chlori-te of, alkali, at a raised temperature.

. 6. A method of treating copper matte to render the copper easily extractable, comprising the step of" subjecting the matte. to the action of an alkali carbonate, fluxing agents containing alum. and a hypo-chloritc ofi alkali, at a raised temperature. I

7. A method of treating copper matte to render the copper easily extractable comprising the step of subjecting the matte to the actionof an alkali carbonate, alum and ahypo-chlorite of the alkali earths, at incipient red heat, I

8; A method of treating copper matte to render the copper easily extractable, comprising the step of subjecting the matte to the action of an alkali carbonate, borax and a hypo-chlorite of the alkali earths, at i-ncipient red heat,

9. A method of treating coppermatte to render the copper easily extractable, com prising the step of subjecting the matte to the action of an alkali carbonate, a mixture of alum and borax, and a hypo-chlorite of the alkaline earths, at incipient red heat.

10; A method of treating copper matte to render the copper easily extractable, comprisingthe step of subjecting the matte to the action of an alkali carbonate, a fluxing agent containing alum and a hypo-chl'orite of the alkaline earths, at a raised temperature.

11. A method of treating copper matte to render the copper easily extractable, comprising'thestep of subjecting the matte to the action of" an alkali carbonate, a fluxing agent containing alum, and a mixture of the hypo-chloritesand alkali and the alkaline earths, at a raised temperature.

12. A method of treating copper matte to render the coppereasily extractable, comprising the step of subjecting the matte to the action of an alkali carbonate, a fiuxing agent containing borax and a mixture of the hypo-chloritesof alkali and the alkaline earths, at a raised temperature.

13. A method of treating copper matte to render the copper easily extractable, comprising the step of subjecting the matte to the action. of an alkali carbonate, a fluxing l render the copper easily extractable comprising the step of subjecting the matte to the action of sodium carbonate, alum, borax and chloride of lime at incipient red heat.

16. A method of treating copper matte to render the copper easily extractable, comprising the step of subjecting the matte to the action of an alkali carbonate, fluxing agents and an oxidizing agent, at a raised temperature.

17. A method of treating copper matte to render the copper easily extractable, comprising the step of subjecting the matte to the action of an alkali carbonate, alum and an oxidizing agent at incipient red heat.

18. A method of treating copper matte to render the copper easily extractable, comprising the step of subjecting the matte to the action of an alkali carbonate, alum and borax and an oxidizing agent, at incipient red heat.

19. A method of treating copper matte to render the copper easily extractable, comprising the step of subjecting the matte to the action of an alkali carbonate, borax and an oxidizing agent, at incipient red heat.

20. A method of treating copper matte, to render the copper easily extractable, comprising the step of subjecting the matte to the action of an alkali carbonate, a fiuxing agent containing alum and an oxidizing agent, at a raised temperature.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

ALBERT H. HENDERSON. 

